Skinner Ground Hill

The walk up Skinner Ground Hill takes about forty minutes from Barnoldswick, and it's proper worth the effort. You're looking at moorland views that stretch across Lancashire, with the Pennines doing their bit in the distance. It's not a dramatic peak - we're talking 400-odd metres - but the walk itself is straightforward enough for families who don't mind a steady climb.

The summit's unremarkable in the way many Lancashire hills are: windswept, open, sometimes boggy underfoot. But that openness is the whole point. On a clear day you can pick out useful landmarks. On a grey one, which is most days, it's quietly atmospheric. Most walkers are through in ninety minutes door-to-door.

This works well as part of a broader moorland circuit if you're staying at one of the nearby spots - Thornton Hall Country Park sits just 2.7 miles away, or Deerstone Glamping if you want something more upmarket. It's genuinely useful for breaking up a park-based holiday with some actual exercise. Kids aged eight and up won't complain, though younger ones might find the boggy bits tedious.

Bring decent boots. The ground can be soft even when it hasn't rained recently. There's nothing commercial up there, no café, no facilities - you're relying on what you bring. Go early on weekends if you want solitude. Locals use it regularly, so you won't be alone, but it never feels crowded.